USC should know: ‘UCLA owns L.A.’

Friday, January 23, 1998

USC should know: ‘UCLA owns L.A.’

PREVIEW: Bruins expect to rewrite history by upsetting
long-standing Trojan reign

By Chris Umpierre

Daily Bruin Contributor

In the past, it was easy to predict a winner when UCLA locked
horns against USC on the basketball court.

It was almost a certainty that the Bruins would win the men’s
game, while Southern Cal would dominate the women’s game.

But UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier feels tonight’s game against
Southern Cal at 7 p.m. in USC’s Lyons Center will begin an era of
Bruin domination over their crosstown rival in women’s
basketball.

"They’ve had a lot of success in the past, but now it’s our
turn," said Olivier, who has only beaten USC one time in her
tenure.

USC has indeed owned the crosstown rivalry, winning 28 of the 46
games played in the series. In fact, the Women of Troy have won 11
of the last 12 meetings. UCLA’s only win came on Feb. 24, 1996, an
80-64 win in Pauley Pavilion.

The USC women’s basketball program has a rich tradition. In
addition to their two NCAA titles, they have been to the tournament
15 times in their 21-year history.

"For us to draw 6,000 against Stanford last week shows that our
program is going in the proper direction, while USC is rebuilding
right now," Olivier said.

After graduating seven seniors from last year’s 20-9 team, the
Trojans are in a rebuilding stage. In fact, USC starts a freshman
backcourt with Tashara Carter and Whitney Houser.

The Trojans (7-8, 2-4) have so far struggled this season,
mustering just a 2-4 record in Pac-10 play. They are led by junior
guard Kristin Clark, who is averaging 15.7 points per game and
three boards a game.

The Bruins (9-6, 4-2), on the other hand, are having one of
their best seasons in recent years.

The season didn’t start out that way for the Bruins, as they
lost their first three games. But UCLA has been playing great ball
of late and won seven of their last nine.

They have done so with a young lineup; Olivier starts four
sophomores.

Three of the Bruins’ six losses are to teams ranked in the Top
11, including a 75-70 defeat to No. 11 Stanford last week.

Olivier and the rest of the Bruins want to make a statement in
tonight’s game against Southern Cal.

"We want to let them know that we are a program on the rise,"
Olivier said. "We want them to know that UCLA owns L.A. in women’s
basketball."

Erica Gomez